Vehicle-tire.



T. C. WATKINS. I

VEHiCLE TIRE.

PT.l3 I915. RENEWED Patented Jan. 1, 1918.

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VEHICLE-TIRE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 1,1918.

Application filed September 13, 1915, Serial No.- 50,301. Renewed March81, 1917. Serial No. 1158,8801.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS C. WATKINS, a citizen of the UnitedStates,'residing at of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, ave inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Vehicle- Tires; and I do declarethe following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it apertains to make and use the same, reference eing had 'to theaccoinpanying drawings, and t0 the letters and figures of referencemarked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to an improvement in vehicle tires, and moreparticularly to that clam of tires used w1th automobile wheels and knownin the art as cushion tires, and the invention consists in formingwithin the body of the tire and at regular intervals, a series ofcompartments to give the tire the proper resilience and with ventopenings for air circulation, also each compartment with a rubber coreto give support to the tread portion, the said supports being formedfrom rubber having cient of elasticity than that of the tread of thetire, and the invention further consists of the certain details ofconstruction and combination of parts, as will be fully describedhereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly insection, of a vehicle wheel showing my improved tire, the same beingconstructed and arranged in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a cross section of the same, said section being taken throughone of the compartments.

To construct a vehicle tire in accordance with my invention and adaptthe same for automobile and other uses, said wheel comprising a hub 1,spokes 2, and felly 3, such as are now in common use, I attach to thesaid felly 3, by means of transversely-arranged bolts 6, a tireholderconsisting of a channel 4, bent in the form of a circle andprovided with lugs 5, attached to its inner periphery, which togetherwith the flanges of the channel 1, affords a means for holding the tire8,securely in position. This tire holder is preferably made in two ormore sections, each having radially-projecting a greater coeflipins 7,located with respect to the compartments 9, formed in. the body ofthe'tire, said 65 pins being adapted with the aid of suitable cement tohold or keep the blocks 10, in the proper position. The tire comprises acylindrical piece of rubber in circular form (8) and formed with aseries of compartments 9, opening toward the inner per1phery, andpreferably conical in form, but may be of any suitable shape. Each ofthe compartments 9, is provided with a conical block or core of rubber10, centrally located within the compartment and of less size, leaving asurrounding s ace for the free circulation of air. These b ocks 10 aremade of rubber having a greater coeificient of elasticity than 1 that ofthe tire 8, and answer the purpose of supporting springs when the tireis taxed beyond its ordinary carr capacity and may be attached or heldin the proper posi-' tion either by above described pins 7, or by anysuitable means. Each of the compartments 9, is provided'with one or moreair passages 12, arranged in a horizontal position and leading to theoutside of the tlre 8.

The above-described tire when in use will give the proper resiliencynecessary for the wheels of motor-driven vehicles, such as automobiles,auto trucks, &c., and it is well known that when this class of tires arein use they acquire a high temperature. This temperature is efl'ectfullyovercome by this construction of tire, as the wheel when in motion, byreason of its load and the compression or partial collapse of thecompartments the air will be discharged and replaced in quick successionby reason of the elastic nature of the rubber construction, the heatedair passing out and cold air drawn in, thereby forming what may betermed an air cooled tire.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, is

1. A vehicle tire comprising an annular body formed from-rubber, aholder for attaching the same to the folly of the wheel, a series ofcompartments formed within the said body and open toward the innerperiphery, vent openings leading to each of said compartments, a rubberblock within each compartment arranged to leave a surrounding air space,said blocks formed from a rubber having a greater coefiicient ofelasticity than that of the body, and a means for attaching said blocksrigidly in position on the periphery of the tire holder.

ery, vent openings leading to each of said compartments, a rubber blockwithin each compartment arranged to leave a snn'0und-- ing air space,said blocks formed from a rubber havin a greater coeflicient or ratio ofelasticity t an that of the body, and a means for attaching said blocksin position 15 and centrally located within said compartments.

In testimony whereof, I ailix my signature, in presence of twowitnesses.

THOMAS C. WATKINS.

1 Witnesses:

M. E. HARRISON, C. 0. LEE.

